Sewer pipeline hydraulic root cutter apparatus

Abstract

A sewer pipeline root cutting apparatus having entirely internal fluid passageways and interchangeable skids. A hydraulically driven motor drives a shaft for attachment of a cutting tool at one end, and has a thrusting nozzle connecting a high pressure hose at the other end. The system is arranged so that the high pressure thrusting nozzle connector holds the interchangeable skid assemblies on the hydraulic motor housing in use. The interchangeable skid assemblies are easily exchanged by simply removing the thruster nozzle and replacing the skid assembly, allowing the pipeline cleaner to be adapted to pipelines only slightly larger than the apparatus up to some of the largest sewer lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a sewer pipeline cleaning apparatus having a hydraulic motor with a drive shaft, an inlet for connecting a high pressure hydraulic fluid to drive a sewer cleaning tool attached to said drive shaft the improvement comprising: a hydraulically driven motor having a drive shaft on a forward end and a cap on the rearward end;   passageway means in said end cap for delivering fluid under high pressure to said hydraulically driven motor to operate said drive shaft;   thrusting nozzle means detachably mounted on said end cap for connecting a high pressure fluid to said hydraulically driven motor;   interchangeable skid means mounted on said hydraulically driven motor;   said interchangeable skid means being held on said hydraulically driven motor by mounting said thrusting nozzle means on said end cap;   whereby skids for different diameter sewer pipelines may exchanged easily by removing said thrusting nozzle from said end cap.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said interchangeable skid for the smallest diameter sewer pipeline comprises; a circular ring permanently attached to the forward end of said hydraulically driven motor having arcuate skids welded to said circular plate; and a removable circular skid mounted on said end cap held in place by said thrusting nozzle. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 1 which said interchangeable skid means comprises; a first skid spider having an aperture fitting over said hydraulically driven motor; a second skid spider having an aperture fitting over a threaded boss on said end cap; a plurality of skids attached to said first and second spiders spaced around said hydraulically driven motor; said thrusting nozzle being threaded onto said threaded boss to hold said skid means on said hydraulically driven motor. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 3 in which there are four skids equally spaced around said hydraulically driven motor.